Distributer



P. C. HAAS.

DISTRIBUTER. A'PPLlcATloN FILE'D uAY2.1918.

Patented 'May 27, 1919.

A TTORIVE S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL CORNIELOUS HAAS, 0F ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 JAMES C. MARTIN, OF ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN.

DISTRIBUTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1919.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL C. Haas, a citizen of the United States, residing atv Ann Arbor, in the county of Washtenaw and `State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Distributer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to distributers for the spark plugs of internal-combustion engines, and has reference more particularly to the means for breaking the primary circuit.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and eilicient device in which one of the contacts of the interrupter is mounted to reciprocate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a distributer which has a liquid interrupter, the liquid being a conductor, and which is mounted to reciprocate to and from a stationary contact.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an interrupter in which the contact takes place within a hermetically sealed chamber.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the laccompanying drawings, :forming part of the application. similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. Y

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a distributer provided with an interrupter embodying my invention on line 1-1, Fig. 2;

Fi 2 is a horizontal section through `the distributer on line 2-2, Fig. .1; and

Fig. 3 is a plan of the ratchet surface which actuates the diaphragm.

Referring to the drawings, 4 is a cupshaped housing of insulating material which is provided with a cover 5, also of insulating material, the cover being'preferably threaded into the cup to be iush with the edge. A collar 6 extends outwardly from the bottom of the cup. Within the collar 6 an interiorly threaded sleeve 7 is anchored, the sleeve having an arm 8 whereby it may be revolved with the housing. A lbushing 9 is threaded within the sleeve, and it is locked to the sleeve by means'of a nut 10. This nut permits a longitudinal adjustment of the bushing within the sleeve. A shaft 11 bearing in the bushing 9 extends through the housing 4 and out of the cover 5.

An arm l2 of insulating material is mounted on the shaft 11 within the housing 4 Vby means of the screw 12a so as to cause it to participate in all the movements of the shaft. The arm bears on the end of the bushing 9 within the housing. The armv12 hasan upwardly extending sleeve 13 which bears in the cover 5 and extends above the end of the shaft 11 to accommodate the cylindrical projection 14 of a steel diaphragm 15 having concentric corrugations, the projection 14 having preferably the same diameter as the shaft 1-1 so as to serve as an additional bearing for the sleeve 13. The projection 14 has a diametric ridge 16 for which the proximate'end of the shaft 11 has notches 17. The margin of the diaphragm 15 is anchored in an inverted cup- 18 closing the mouth ofsaid cup, and with which it forms a reservoir for mercury. The cup has a rising stem 19 with a bore 20 into which fits snugly a contact carrier 21 having a clearance 22 about the contact 23 extending through the carrier. The clearance 22 about the contact carrier is in communication with a lbore 24 in the bottom of the cup, whereby the mercury in the receiver formed 'by the inverted cup and diaphragm normally enters the clearance 22 but is spaced Afrom the contact 23.

The inverted cup 18 is carried by a cover 25 of insulating material which is anchored to the cover 5 by means 26 which also form the means vfor securing the terminals of the. cables which lead to the spark plugs. The

inverted cup 18 is retained against the top of the cover by a nut 27 which is threaded on the collar 19 of the cup. A suitable key is provided between the cup 18 and the cover to prevent a relative rotary movement between the two. The contact carrier 21 is locked in the bore 20 of the collar 19 by a cap 28 threaded over the collar 19.

The proper relation between the ridge 16 of the projection 14 of the diaphragm 15 and the notches 17 of the shaft 11 is controlled by the bushing 9 and, therefore, this means will also control the gap between the mercury column 29 and the contact 23. It will be noted that the contact carrier 21 seals .the receiver hermetically, although it leaves a clearance therein for the movement of the mercury to and from the stationary f contact 23. The portion of the contact which projects out through the cap 28 is provided with suitable means 30 for securing a terminal. Y

The arm' 12 carries Va metal plate 3l on which a contact 32 is provided to engage the contacts 33 associated with the means 26 and mounted in the cover 5. A contact 34 bears on the plate 3l. The contact 34 is supported by a spring 35 which is anchored in a lug 36 supported by the cover 5 and to which an electric conduit 37 of the secondary circuit is secured.

It will be noted that in my distributer thereis only a pair of contacts for the primary circuit, and as the shaft ll rotates carrying therewith the arm 12 the contact 32 will come successively into engagement with thecontacts ofthe cover. VAnd every time the contact 32 is engaged with the contacts leading to the spark plugs, the pair of contacts of the primary circuit are disengaged, that is, the Vcolu-mn of mercury and the contact 23 will open due to the release of the.

diaphragm caused by the notched surface 17 on thev end: of shaft 11. In consequence, by means of the pair of contacts in the primaryv circuit, I make and break that circuit before opening the secondary circuit to the spark plugs. When the number of spark plugs is increased or decreased, the only change necessary will be in the ratchet surface I7 andthe number of secondary contacts 33 in the cover 5. Furthermore, the two contactsl of the primary circuit operate in a sealed chamber and', therefore, are fullyprotected.

' By turning the arm 8, carried Vby the housing 4, the contacts of the secondary circuit are advanced or retarded in relation to the rotating member, and, in consequence, the occurrence of the spark is advanced or retarded. It will be noted that the rotary movement of the housing 4 by the arm 8 causes a corresponding movement of the cover 25 which carries the pair of contacts 'of the primary circuit, and, therefore, their relation with the revolving shaft 11 remains unchanged during such movement. It may be remarked that the clearance 22 is only sufficiently large to allow a slight compression of the air and gas that may be inclosed therein, which is not strong enough to prevent the mercury coming in contact with the stationary contact. The slight compression of the gases therein facilitates the restitution of the diaphragm and, therefore, the return of the liquid column to its normal position.

I claim:

l. In a distributer -for a plurality of spark plugs, revolving means for controlling a secondary circuit to the spark plugs, a pair of relatively reciprocating contacts for controlling a primary circuit, a diaphragm supporting one of the pair of contacts, andV engagement being broken while the revolving means maintain the secondary circuit to the spark plugs closed.

In a distri-buter for a plurality of spark plugs, revolving means for controlling a secondary circuit tothe spark plugs, a pair.

of contacts for controlling a prim-ary' c ircuit, a diaphragm supporting one" of said contacts spaced from the other contact, and means for flexing the -v diaphragm to move the contact supported thereon into engagement with the other contact,` said last-mentioned means-"being operable by the revolving means'to flex the diaphragm when the secondary circuit to the spark plugs is closed. Y

3. In a distributer for a plurality of sparkv plu-gs, a plurality' of contacts corresponding tothe number of sparkV plugs, a revoluble contactV ina secondaryv circuit for-engaging said plurality of contacts successively, a pair of contacts in a primary' circuit, one of said contacts being formed by a mercury column, means-supporting the mercury column, and lmeans interposed between the supporting means andi the revoluble contact for raising and lowering the liquid column into and" out of engagement withthe other contact of the primary circuit while the revoluble contact is engaged withany of the plurality of the contacts.-

4. In a distributer for a' plural-ity of 1 spark plugs, revoluble means for controlling a secondary circuit' to the Vspark` plugs, a chamber havingV a yielding bottom, mercury in said chamber, a stationary contact within said chamber normally spaced: from the mercury, and means operable from the revolving means for raising' the bottom of the chamber to bring the mercury into and out of engagement with the stationary' contact while the revolving means closes'V the secondary circuit to the spark plugs'.4 Y

5. In a distributer for a plurality of spark plugs, revoluble means for controlling a secondary circuit to the spark plugs, a chamber having a diaphragm for a bottom, mercury in saidv chamber, a stationary contact within said chamber normally spaced from the mercury, and means for Yflexing the diaphragm operable by the revolving means whereby the mercury in the chamber is moved to and from the stationary contact, saidmeansfor flexing the diaphragm1 being so related to said revolving means that the diaphragmy is eXed into and out of the chamber while the revolving means closes the secondary circuit to the spark plugs;

6. In a distributer for a plurality of spark plugs, revolving means for controlling the secondary circuit to the spark plugs, a chamber having a yielding diaphragm for a bottom, mercury in said chamber, means sealing the mercury in the chamber, a contact carried by said sealing means, said sealing means being adapted to present a clearance Ibetween said contact and the mercury, and means for moving the diaphragm in and out of the chamber operable by the revolving means controlling the secondary circuit, whereby the mercury in the chamber is brought into and out of engagement with the contact normally spaced therefrom, said means for moving the diaphragm being so related to the revolving means as to move the diaphragm into and out of the chamber While the revolving means closes the secondary circuit to the spark plugs.

7. In a distributer for a plurality of spark plugs, revoluble means for controlling a sec- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the ondary circuit to the spark plugs, a chamber having a corrugated diaphragm for a bottom, a conducting liquid in said chamber, means for sealing the liquid in the chamber, a contact in Said sealing means normally spaced from the liquid, said sealing means presenting a clearance about the contact to facilitate the engagement of the liquid with the contact, a toothed member depending from the diaphragm, and ratchet means associated With the revoluble means for engaging the toothed lmember whereby the liquid is moved to and from the contact Within the chamber substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

PAUL CORNIELOUS HAAS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS I. BIDDLE, G. T. ALEXANDER.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

